11/14/2012

Thanksgiving Leftover Cook-off!

Cold turkey sandwiched between day-old dinner rolls, slathered in cranberry sauce, congealed gravy, and topped with a scoop of garlic mashed potatoes. Remind you of anything?

Some argue that the leftovers rival the feast when it comes to Thanksgiving. Everyone has their favorite way to devour the delicious bits that have been left behind. Watch as three G+ foodies battle to prove whose leftovers reign supreme.

Mary Helen made Thanksgiving Pizza! This cranberry sauce pizza was cooked on our outdoor grill, giving it a smokey, crunchy crust. It was topped with dollops of mashed potato, balls of stuffing, chopped smoked turkey, homemade gravy, and a sprinkling of jack and cheddar cheeses.

Amy made Thanksgiving Eggs Benedict. I love a leftover Thanksgiving sandwich as much as the next girl, but in order to bring it to another level, I turned my turkey and accoutrements into a breakfast twist on leftovers- Thanksgiving Benedict! I started with a challah dressing patty bound together with eggs (gravy would work but my friends polished mine off!) and coated in bread crumbs and fried. On top, a mixture of turkey and spinach sautéed in butter and herbs. Finished off with a poached egg and an herby hollandaise to use up all that leftover thyme and rosemary. Then garnished with a dollop of cranberry sauce and fried sage. My taste tester polished it off and proclaimed this Thanksgiving Benedict is even better than the original dishes!

Lindsay made southwestern tortilla soup chowder, and a sweet potato souffle. Leftover cooking is a great way to use the things you have in a new way, so that's how I approached this challenge. I knew I wanted to give it a Southwestern flair, so the spices were easy. San Antonio chili powder, cumin, cayanne, Spanish paprika, and sage...

For the soup, I sauted leftovers from the vegetable tray (red peppers, green peppers, celery, carrots) with some chopped onion and the spices. As soon as the veggies were slightly soft, I added leftover broth (about 3 cups), about a cup and half of leftover corn, a can of black beans, and a couple of cups of leftover mashed potatoes.

While that cooked, I pressed leftover dressing into foil muffin cups and set that aside. Then I added similar spices, but with more heat, to mashed sweet potatoes, then beat them with some melted butter, eggs, salt and a bit of milk. I folded in two beaten egg whites, then spooned it on top of the dressing, and popped it into oven at 400 degrees.
When the souffles were done, I added some milk to the soup and just brough it back to hot. Then I topped it with fresh cilantro and some grated Queso Fresco. A simple 30 miniute meal from 90% leftovers, with a whole new taste!